Train enthusiasts the world over know
about this masterpiece which came into existence in 1881. Over a
century later, American writer Warren Bentley aptly described a recent ride
on this toy train as the " journey of a lifetime".The trip from
New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling on the 'Queen of the Hills', one of the world's
narrowest gauge trains, just two feet wide, is a marvel of railway
engineering. Built in 1881 on a plan drawn by Englishman Franklin Prestige,
the train chugs past lush tea gardens and rippling streams as it ascends the
Eastern Himalayas looping through tunnels and mountain passes on its uphill
climb. Described by many as the ultimate rail wonder of the world that still
exists to be enjoyed, the toy train climbs up to Ghum at a height of 2,258
metres (7,408 feet) the highest railway station in the world.

The journey from New Jalpaiguri
to Darjeeling is both breathtaking and spectacular as the toy train chugs
along past hills and valleys, at times brushing the gurgling Teesta river,
at times overlooking Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak.
Train enthusiasts the world over know about this masterpiece which came into
existence in 1881. It is little wonder that the Himalayan train has been
enlisted as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Built in 1881 on a plan drawn by
an Englishman Franklin Prestige, the train is described by many as the
ultimate rail wonder of the world that still exists to be enjoyed, the toy
train climbs upto Ghum at a height of 2,258 metres (7,408 feet) the highest
railway station in the world. From here it takes a spectacular loop and
comes face to face with Kanchenjunga which, at 8,602 metres (28,215 feet),
is the third highest peak in the world. Passengers hop off and on the train
or simply lean out to buy the odd ornaments or a cup of tea from Bhutia and
Lepcha women who line up their wares on the fanciful little stations enroute.

Train enthusiasts the world over
know about this quaint little train whose engine first came from the Atlas
Works in Manchester. Many of them have set up sites on the Internet and
aficionados have formed societies for its upkeep. The foremost is the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway Society in London that has been set up to promote
awareness and support for this train. It publishes picture postcards that
sell in thousands. The proceeds from these go to the Himalayan Railway
Heritage Foundation in Darjeeling. It is little wonder then, that the toy
train has been enlisted as a World Heritage Site under UNESCO's
International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICMS). This will give a new
lease of life to the train, known to be the second oldest in the world in
high altitudes.

Although a number of hill
railways exist in India, this was the first to be built in the country. It
is also unique by virtue of its gauge and length and also the special
engineering methodology such as utilising the loops and the Z shaped layouts
for pulling along the steep heights. The mainline originates from Siliguri,
120 metres (398 feet) above sea level and runs along the Hill Cart Road for
about 18 km upto Sukna. It then climbs the foothills reaching an altitude of
2,258 metres (7,408 feet) at Ghoom, 75 km from Siliguri. From Ghum it
descends for about 6.4 km till it terminates at Darjeeling at an altitude of
2,078 metres (6,812 feet). The train moves at speeds between 10 and 15 kmph
taking eight hours to complete the 89 kilometre journey.